


Different Names For The Same Thing

by JugbandArnold



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: All emotions, F/F, Most of them at least
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-14 02:53:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5727028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JugbandArnold/pseuds/JugbandArnold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Prompt fills. Do not correlate the chapters, unless mentioned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Medicine (Houses)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "I just want to take care of you."
> 
> I do not understand how this prompt led me here but okay.The alternate ultra-morbid continuation of "If-Then-Else."  
> I am so sorry if this has been written.

 

 "Please don't make me do this." You're begging, you're pleading with the Machine, broken on so many levels you can't count. You're here in this unseemly, empty police station, no one to notice you, a frenzy of tears and agitation sitting on one of those uncomfortable benches in the corridor. You can hear very well the Machine giving you directions to go to a particular room, but this isn't your first time in a precinct - you are aware that she is directing you to the morgue.

"Why are you making me do this??" you beg, restless and desperate to get out of here, but at the same time unable to disobey the Machine in the helpless state you're in. You need her, you're so suggestible right now you can't help it, and you're drained of all your energy to continue arguing with an all-seeing AI. So you drag yourself up and towards the door, your knees feeling heavy and your mind in utter confusion over all the emotions you were feeling right now.

Right before you make your way to the door, you stop as you realize something.

"You don't know, do you?" you ask out loud, not caring in the least that someone hears you. The Machine was silent, for the first time ever, the Machine didn't have an answer to your question, and that scares you further.

"You don't know - and you want me to see if she's alive or not!" You scream, pain coursing through your veins as your mind touches on the very likely possibility of what you will find on the other side of the door.

The Machine was still quiet as ever, and you realize that you can't do this. It was crushing your heart to even think you were considering opening that door to see what was obviously going to be there.

"You know you can put 2 and 2 together, I don't have to do this." At that The Machine just repeated that you go forward through the door.

You bite your lip at that, your body feels so lifeless as you push the door and walk through the glass doors of the morgue. There is no one there, completely empty and utterly silent, a few bodies lying lifeless on the steel beds of the morgue, covered in white sheets. There's three of them there, bodies of other agents killed in the crossfire at the stock exchange. To your surprise, the Machine gives you a number.

 _655321_.

You don't know what it is - and right now you aren't in the mood to go on one of the Machine's mad hunts. Your fingers are trembling as you approach the centre steel bed, the one which still had its observation lights on.

As you take a step towards it, your hand brushes against the tag hanging of the toe of the body, and you slowly take it in your fingers to get a look at it.

 _655321_.

That takes the wind out of your lungs, literally. You fall to the floor, gasping and crying at the same time, the cold floor not consoling you much.

"I'm so sorry Sameen, I'm sorry." you beg earnestly, utterly broken.

* * *

 

You aren't sure how long you've spent on the floor, curled up in a ball and cold - crying your heart out. The Machine had been silent thus far, allowing you to have your space, your moment with her, till now that is.

"I'm sorry."

You don't pay much attention to that, slowly bringing yourself to get up off the floor and go to the bed, and taking a minute to build your resolve before you slowly peel the white sheet off Shaw's lifeless face.

At the sight of Sameen, lifeless and pale face you gasp and tears start flowing down your face. You aren't crying yourself, but the tears wouldn't stop. The burden your heart feels now was unbelievable. Right now - you've summed it up in your head that all that you had done had lead Shaw to get shot, it feels like you shot her yourself. You close your eyes and the sight of her body falling to the ground as Martine fired the first shot comes to your mind and you can't bear it. The Machine, as if reading your mind - begins.

"You are not to blame for - "

"I AM!" You scream back, turning as if you were talking to someone, only to see there was no one there.

At that, the Machine stopped, and the silence of the world was starting to weigh on you.

 

* * *

 

It has probably been a few hours now, and you don't remember how you got in this position, but you don't care. You're lying on the very narrow steel observation bed, holding Shaw's lifeless body close to you and with the powerful white lights still shining bright in your face.

"I thought you would like to say goodbye to her." The Machine offers, as a sort of peace offering between you and herself. The Machine's words make you realize that Samaritan's workers probably had a sordid plan to get rid of Shaw's body, and the Machine forced you here so that you could spend a moment with her, alone before Samaritan began to decide to get rid of the body.

You just hum in reply, utterly spent and feeling more dead than alive. Your mind is replaying all these moments you had with Shaw, teasing her, annoying her, bargaining with her and loving her.

"She just wanted to take care of me." you sofly reply in a monotonous voice, hollow and heavy.

The Machine starts warning you that Samaritan's operatives were on their way now, and that you had to go, but you can't bring yourself to move. You couldn't leave her, not now.

"It's Okay. I'll take care of her now." you mumble, not really understanding the seriousness of the situation.


	2. Helena Beat (Foster the People)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As an apology for that previous chapter -   
> Let's play a game called Guess this Prompt.

 

It was a slow day at the train station - Harold, for a surprise for his normally serious demeanor was chuckling at the computer screen. Root, who was trying to lie low from Samaritan's eyes had to spend the day indoors and was bored - decided to pay Harold a visit, and hopefully get to meet Shaw as well. The Machine wasn't talking to her much these days and she couldn't take the loneliness any further.

"What so funny Harry?" Root began, strolling casually into the old train car, seeing Shaw's disgruntled face on the screen.

"Mr. Reese is still injured, so Ms. Shaw volunteered to take care of today's number - only that she didn't quite know what she was signing herself up for." Harold smirked, pointing to the photograph stuck on the glass board. It was a Mrs. Edith Watson - a rather haggard old lady - and Root had to smile at that. Poor Shaw indeed.

"Mrs. Watson is rather feisty grandmother - and a rather surprising match for Ms. Shaw." Harold grinned, pointing towards the screen, while Root picked up an earpiece to listen in on the conversation.

"Where's my regular caretaker? I liked old Kate" the old lady yelled in her hoarse voice as poor Shaw did her best to help her into her wheelchair.

"Kate's sick Mrs. Watson, now calm down and let me help you."

"I don't need your help you sassy witch. Go back to your yuppies and leave me alone." the old lady screeched and Shaw looked ready to strangle her.

"I could shut you up with two fingers you know." Shaw grumbled at the old lady.

"I could shut you up with one." The old lady yelled back - and proceeded to give Shaw the finger. At that, Shaw looked truly defeated.

The sight of Shaw about 90% done with dealing with the old lady was hilarious, and Harold and Root couldn't help but laugh at that. Harold laughed a light laugh, filled with mirth and glee. Root - on the other hand, was a rather shy laugher - covering about half her face in her palms and laughing with a muffled sound.

"I'm pretty sure she's our perpetrator Finch." Shaw groaned, helping the old lady into her chair - making Root laugh more.

 

* * *

 

"I did not think old women are that feisty." Shaw recalled, surprised that the old lady had managed to make her sprain her hand. It had been a long day of helping Mrs. Watson and saving her from the nurse who had been bribed to kill her.

"Damn lady didn't even thank me for saving her life. She just yelled at me to get a better job." Shaw scowled, testing her hand as she sat down on the bench at the underground train station.

Root managed some ice for Shaw's hand - sitting down next to her and handing over the ice and half leaning into Shaw.

"I can't believe you didn't kill her." Root smiled, still feeling the humour of the day in her bones.

"I can't believe it either." Shaw grunted, taking the ice and nursing her right hand. The two were silent for a minute when Shaw remembered all the things the old lady had done that day.

"I can't believe she flipped me off!" Shaw groaned - and at that Root burst into laughter again and this time - she buried her face in Shaw's side, laughing into her.

"She's someone's grandma!" Shaw smiled, feeling a bit lighter seeing Root laugh.                      


	3. Tiesto ft. Andain - Beautiful Things.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I can’t do this when you’re drunk.”  
> Why don't I just club this with the 2 other prompts given to me ( "Take me home" & "“How about you sleep underneath the sheets and I’ll sleep on top of them?”) - because I am a lazy asshole. Just go with this. Apologies if this has been written.  
> You don't have to try and understand the code bits - you'll get it as you read on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take this happy ending away, it's all the same  
> God won't waste this simplicity - on possibility  
> Get me up, wake me up - dreams are filling this trace of blame  
> Frozen still I thought I could stop  
> Now who's gonna wait  
> No one's calling for me at the door  
> And unpredictable won't bother anymore  
> and silently gets harder to ignore.  
> Look straight ahead, there's nothing left to see  
> What's done is done this life has got it's hold on me   
> Just let it go - what now can never be.  
> So many - beautiful things.

{

SIM X = EVENT (ASSET_S_SHAW.(OPERATIVE_SAMARITAN));

ASSIGN.VAR(SIM X);

**START.SIMULATION(SIM X);**

 The abandoned alleyway was dark and ominous, and Root was cold and miserable, all the blood drained from her face. She didn't know what to trust - The Machine had been offline for a considerable amount of time and now knew as much as she did about what was going to happen. The Machine had given her this address - the address where she was hopeful to meet Shaw, alive and still on Team Machine - but right now it was all just looking on the bright side. It could still be an ambush, Samaritan's operatives could easily jump out of nowhere and kill her - but she decided to trust the Machine, like she always did.  Except this time - she was scared, utterly unconfident and constantly worried that the Machine could be wrong.

Root did her best to hide her agitation, leaning against the hard wall and staying as still as she could - not that it would help. If this were an ambush, staying still wouldn't be much help against Samaritan.

Root was feeling an intense mix of emotions - she was the anxious lover waiting for her love to get back to her safe, she was the heroine ever so prayerful that Shaw hadn't turned against them and she was the struggling hero battling to win a terribly one-sided war. Root was having a hard time swallowing all these confusing emotions - when she heard footsteps from the otherside of the wall.

A door opened, dim light glowing from inside the building - and Root gasped softly as she made out Shaw's face. The glee that came over Root was terrific, and she couldn't stop herself as she slowly walked towards the door. The Machine informed her that Shaw was there alone and hearing that made Root pick up her pace. Root rushed towards Shaw - and sure enough as Shaw heard the muffled footsteps towards her she turned around to see who it was.

"You're alive!" Root exclaimed, flinging herself onto Shaw - who looked battered and terrible, but alive all the same. Shaw merely grunted in her normal fashion, but hugged Root back tight, as Root almost wept into her arms.

* * *

The two of them were walking along the paths of the shadow map, the Machine guiding their every step, catching up with all that had happened whilst they were apart.

"Harold was one of the first to lose hope that you were alive - " Root chuckled, walking alongside Shaw, ecstatic that for once - the situation seemed hopeful.

"Then let's go scare him." Shaw replied, eager to get back to the old grove of things.

At precisely that moment, the Machine had completed reviewing all the data she could find on Shaw whilst she was offline - and had come to a rather horrible conclusion.

_"Kill Shaw now."_

At that, Root stopped in her track and pulled out her pistol, ready to fire - but immediately froze. Shaw, who had realized that Root had stopped - turned to see her aiming her gun right in her face.

"Root?"

Root was speechless, breathing heavy and staring back at Shaw with a lost expression, utterly torn between the Machine and her own heart. She understood that the Machine wouldn't ask her to do this unless it was absolutely necessary - but at the same time, could not bring herself to obey the one force she never disobeyed.

"Is this a game or something?" Shaw inquired, quite unfazed seeing Root as she was. She knew she could take care of Root - if she had to.

"She asked me to kill you." Root breathed, barely audible, her voice trembling in the cold and her knees buckling from the tension she felt.

"So - you're going to kill me now?" Shaw muttered, slightly annoyed - which was a rather subtle reaction to the scene that was unfolding.

"She asked me to kill you." Root repeated, her hand starting to shake from the strain and the nerves.

"Okay then kill me." Shaw snapped, taking a few steps towards Root, her temple level to the muzzle of Root's pistol.

"What?"

"Come on Root, you know you're going to do it - now that's she's told you to, so kill me. Let's not drag this out."

Root was visibly crying, Shaw's face as impassive as ever, and the silence lingered for a minute longer.

"Sameen - I can't - "

"I know I mean nothing to you, and you are going to end up doing whatever the Machine tells you to - so come on. SHOOT me." Shaw spit out, biting her words from her rage.

"That's not true Sameen - I lo-"

"Whatever Root." Shaw huffed - turning and walking away, leaving Root behind, tears streaking down her face.

Seeing Shaw walk away, realizing that she could not carry out the Machine's instructions as simply as she could once do - made Root's heart go cold. She lowered her pistol, trembling violently and almost faint.

"Take me home." she softly requested the Machine, not remembering that the force she loved so was not a person who could take her home, and that she did not have a place she could call home in the first place.

* * *

The Machine had been quite literally screaming "STOP" at Root, but Root was determined this time. Not to mention, extremely drunk. Sloppily, she loaded the fresh magazines into her pistol and checked them. Drunk as she was, she was still good at rigging up her guns.

"Tell me where she is and I'll kill her." Root called out to the Machine, stumbling out of her loft, armed with her two guns.

"I can't do this when you're drunk." the Machine replied, repeatedly asking Root to stop pursuing Shaw.

"I am your Analog Interface and I can do this - now tell me where she is!" Root screamed back, not caring in the least for all the weird looks she got from the other people on the sidewalk.

The Machine knew Root was relentless and would not give up until she had Sameen's address- and had no choice but to give it to her.

* * *

Root barged right through the door, and in her drunken haze could make out Shaw carefully changing the bandage to her side. She held up her gun once again - her hand unusually unsteady.

"You've come here to kill me?" Shaw questioned, barely moving from the chair she was sitting on.

Root, on the other hand - seeing Shaw's bullet wound from where Martine had shot her at the stock exchange - came to the sorrowful conclusion that she could not do this. She could not kill Shaw - and this realization made Root jump to the one logical conclusion in her head.

Slowly - she moved her arm, pointing the gun to her own head this time.

At that, Shaw sprung up - desperate to get Root to stop. Shaw was calm as long as it was her in the firing line, she could easily protect herself from Root, but protecting Root from her own whims and fancies was a different thing.

"Root, put the gun down." Shaw calmly instructed, not sure if this was helping.

"I can't do it - I can't kill you and I can't obey her - there's only one thing left to do now." Root slurred, her finger pressing the trigger tighter.

"Root - just stop this and put the gun down!" Shaw repeated, but Root slowly closed her eyes and finally pulled the trigger before Shaw could stop her.

OUTCOME(SIM X) = (DEAD(ANALOG_INTERFACE),ALIVE(ASSET_S_SHAW));

OUTCOME_VAR(SIM X) = "UNDESIRABLE";

PROBABILITY(SIM X)= 0.12e-23;

NECESSITY(SIM X) = 0;

**END.SIMULATION(SIM X);**

RETURN();

}

* * *

"How about Cocoa puffs sleeps underneath the sheets, and Shaw sleeps on top of them." Fusco offered as he was the one that forgot the extra sheets, as Root pushed him out the door.

"We'll manage Lionel - now don't make me kill you." Root grinned, slamming the door on Lionel's face. She turned around to smile at Shaw, who looked quite weak but as determined as ever. She still hadn't completely recovered from her torture session with Samaritan - but was eager to make things get back to the way they were.

"We're not doing that - right?" Shaw asked, pulling back the sheet and falling on the bed, waiting for Root to come over to her.

"Lionel doesn't really understand how we work sweetie." Root chuckled, climbing on top of Shaw and ready to kiss her.

At precisely that moment, the Machine had completed reviewing all the data she could find on Shaw whilst she was offline - and had come to a rather horrible conclusion, one she hadn't thought was likely to happen.

_"Kill Shaw now."_


End file.
